Insomnia
by deadeb03
Summary: Told in a series of drabbles...Vegeta is having trouble sleeping, and Bulma tries to help. - Takes place between the Trunks and Android Sagas.
1. Chapter 1

"You're going to kill yourself!"

"Shut up, woman! Mind your own business and leave me alone!"

"Living under my roof makes it my business," Bulma answered. "I won't leave you alone until I see you sleeping with my own eyes."

Vegeta growled and continued training.

"You can't hide the fact that you haven't slept since the accident. Yamcha and I hear you at all hours of the night. Training all day and pacing all night is not..."

He blocked out the incessant nagging. He would never tell anyone about the nightmares that awaited him every time he closed his eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

Vegeta stared at the ceiling counting every crack as he'd done repeatedly each night that week. He forced himself to lie in bed but refused to relax. If he did, he might sleep. Sleep meant the nightmares would return. His dreams manipulated him - refusing to allow his mind to rest - but he was powerless against them.

How do you fight something untouchable? Something that drives piercing stakes of fear, dread, and helplessness into your soul?

Impossible.

So Vegeta was determined to lie awake every night until he found a way to defeat the dreams - or the dreams finally defeated him.


	3. Chapter 3

"Damn woman!"

Vegeta collapsed to his knees and held his head in his hands to keep the room from spinning. His guard down from lack of sleep, he hadn't noticed the food was drugged. Now it was all he could do to keep himself awake.

"It's for your own good, so just lie down and get some rest."

Her voice sounded distant through the fog of impending sleep. Vegeta attempted to get to his feet but fell flat on the floor, sinking quickly into unconsciousness.

Vague shapes formed behind his eyelids, focusing more and more into sharp, horribly familiar figures.


	4. Chapter 4

_"You'll never be as powerful as us."_

 _"You're weak."_

 _"You're a disgrace to the Saiyan race!"_

 _"We're Super Saiyans!"_

Vegeta's chest contracted painfully. Voices and darkness surrounded him, suffocating him in fear. Frantically, he fought to free himself, but every move sucked him deeper into the blackness like living tar.

 _"No matter what you do, we'll always be stronger."_

Two sets of glowing gold hair and green eyes taunted him from above, their enormous power crackling around their bodies. Vegeta attempted to reach up to them. They just laughed as he was pulled down, his useless body devoured by despair.


	5. Chapter 5

"No!"

"Vegeta?"

"Get away!"

"Vegeta!"

"Leave me alone!"

"Vegeta! Wake up!"

Vegeta woke suddenly to the insistent shaking. He was still on the floor where he had fallen victim to the drugged food. Bulma knelt beside him, her face white, hands clutching his shirt.

"Get away from me!" he growled, knocking her hands away. The lingering effects of the drug made his head heavy and his stomach lurch. "You did this to me! Do you hate me so much you're trying to drive me mad?"

"Vegeta," Bulma whispered, frightened by his nightmarish thrashing. "It was just a dream. Wasn't it?"


	6. Chapter 6

Vegeta paced the floor, determined never to sleep again. The unexpected betrayal of the woman stung more than he cared to admit.

At first he was angry. The urge to blow the entire house to atoms was nearly overpowering. He powered up an energy ball but something made him stop. He tried to convince himself it was just because he needed the old man's technology for training, but he knew that wasn't the truth. He had grown accustomed to being served and attended for a change.

Should he stay if she could possibly make him endure that nightmare torture again?


	7. Chapter 7

"I'm not telling him anything!" Yamcha exclaimed.

"But he won't listen to me," Bulma pleaded. "Just tell him."

"Tell me what?" Vegeta asked from the doorway. They both jumped guiltily.

"Yamcha wants to talk to you." She pushed him toward the Saiyan prince.

"Well," Yamcha began hesitantly, "Bulma thinks your training is suffering because you're not sleeping."

Vegeta crossed his arms defensively.

"Look in a mirror, Vegeta!" Bulma snapped. "You look like death warmed over. Do you really think you'll catch up to Goku in the state you're in?"

Vegeta's breath caught as if he'd been punched in the stomach.


	8. Chapter 8

Vegeta glared at his bed. The plush covers had been turned down while he showered, the soft pillows plumped into a fluffy cloud. Accommodations befitting royalty.

Completely inviting.

Unless the thought of sleep made you want to vomit with fear.

"So you've had nightmares," the woman said earlier. "You'll be useless against androids if you're weak with insomnia. We're counting on you to save us. So face your demons now and get it over with. We need you to be strong. I know you can do it."

"You better be right, woman," Vegeta mumbled as he slid under the covers.


	9. Chapter 9

" _You're worthless, Vegeta."_

" _You'll never catch up to us."_

" _You're just a weak paper prince without a kingdom."_

" _You'll never become a Super Saiyan."_

"No! You're wrong! I am not weak! I am the prince of all Saiyans! An elite warrior! I will possess this power if it's the last thing I ever do!"

" _You're nothing."_

" _You're useless."_

" _You're weak."_

" _You're pitiful."_

"No! I refuse to listen to you anymore! You're just figments of my imagination so you have no power over me."

" _I know you can do it."_

"I'm listening to someone else now. Someone who believes in me."


	10. Chapter 10

"What are you doing, woman?!"

Bulma rubbed her eyes and raised her head from the pillow next to his. "You're awake! You've been sleeping for two days. How are you feeling?"

"Feeling?!" Vegeta pushed her away from him and stood up. "How should I feel when I find a brazen wench sleeping in my bed? Disgusted, that's how!"

"Fine!" Bulma snapped, heading for the bedroom door. "Next time you cry out, I won't comfort you! Just so you know, you slept like a baby while I was here!" She slammed the door.

Through his urge to blast the wall into dust, Vegeta realized something. He felt better. Not just better - empowered! He hadn't felt this strong or peaceful since the nightmares began. Had he successfully banished them for good?

" _I know you can do it."_

Vegeta shook his head to clear the ghostly whisper from his mind. Those words were like a mantra, exorcizing the demons of his nightmares and allowing him to sink into the blessed, quiet darkness of healing sleep.

"Damn it!" he swore, raking his hands through his spiky hair. He now recognized the voice of his savior - the same one cursing his name down the hall.


End file.
